Poll: 75% of US Jews favor Kerry over Bush

Jpost ^ | 17 aug 04 | Janine Zacharia

[white trash redneck]

A new poll commissioned by the National Jewish Democratic Council says American Jews will still vote overwhelmingly for the Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry, despite US President George W. Bush's policies toward Israel, which have been widely praised by the Jewish community.

The poll, released on Monday, said American Jews preferred Kerry to Bush by a 75 to 22 percent margin. The survey of 817 likely Jewish voters was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research between July 26 and 28, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.

Respondents said in 2000 they had voted for Vice President Al Gore over Bush by a similar margin of 76 to 21 percent.

Exit polls in 2000 showed Gore won 79 percent of the Jewish vote, and Bush 19 percent.

"The White House and (President Bush's political adviser) Karl Rove in particular have expended a lot of resources on this Jewish vote. Just like with Hispanics, they've come up with zero," said Ira Forman, executive director of NJDC.

Matthew Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, a rival group, discounted the survey's results since the poll was taken during the Democratic Convention in Boston.

"I discount these findings because this poll was taken right in the middle of the Democratic Convention, right in the middle of a massive deluge of Kerry press coverage," Brooks said.

"We stand firmly committed to the notion that President Bush will do substantially better among Jewish voters than he did in 2000," Brooks added.

Another survey of American Jewish opinion in January found that 31 percent of Jews would support Bush when matched with Kerry, who was not yet the nominee at the time.

The new NJDC survey said 66 percent found Kerry to be better on the issue of Israel, while 34 percent found Bush to be. Only 23 percent of respondents felt the country was moving in the right direction, while 77 percent said it was on the wrong track. Twenty-five percent approved strongly or somewhat of the way Bush is handling his job as president, while 75 percent disapproved strongly or somewhat.

A new national Zogby survey released Monday showed Kerry ahead of Bush 47 to 43 percent. Without Independent Ralph Nader and other candidates the lead stretched to 50 to 43 percent.

[Vinomori]

Politically, as a group, the U.S. Jews are disgusting.

[wardaddy]

absolutely...we share quite similar Biblical morality....and it's been quite the blessing historically compared to other cultures....in my view.

[ridesthemiles]

I find this most interesting. Is it possible this poll is skewed?

I would think some influential persons who suffered directly or indirectly from the actions of Hitler would be capable of envisioning Kerry doing the kind of damage he did after his return from Viet Nam in the scenario of WW II.
What if he had come home from Italy or wherever and been as vocal about USA not being in the war against Hitler as he was vocal about Viet Nam?
I know, it is 2 different wars, but leopards are leopards, spots and all, no matter the turf they are on.

If American Jews think Kerry will support Israel in the next 4 or 8 years as president, they are being blindsided.
By the time they figure that out, it may have been totally disasterous for Israel and its citizens. Israel, IMO, is the only country that really GETS what the terms of living with terrorists is all about. They live it on a daily basis.